Do you need an FDNY fire guard? A plain-English guide
If a sprinkler or fire alarm system in your building goes down, or your venue's permit calls for fire safety staff, the FDNY expects trained people on post. Here is what that means in plain terms.
What a fire watch is
When a required fire protection system is out of service, the NYC Fire Code requires a fire watch: one or more people patrolling the affected area, looking for fire and ready to alert occupants and the Fire Department. It covers planned shutdowns, like system upgrades, and unplanned ones, like a broken sprinkler line.
Who is allowed to stand it
Fire watch patrols must be done by people who hold an FDNY Certificate of Fitness F-01, Citywide Fire Guard for Impairment. For a smaller impairment, 50,000 square feet or less, the building's impairment coordinator or a trained person the owner designates can cover the first four hours. After four hours, the patrols must be done by F-01 holders.
Events are a separate certificate
Fire safety staff at events are covered by different FDNY certificates, such as F-03 for indoor places of assembly and F-04 for temporary places of assembly. Your venue's place of assembly permit, or the FDNY, will tell you what is required. If you are not sure, ask us before you sign the venue contract.
What a fire guard actually does
A fire guard patrols the affected area on a set route, watches for fire, smoke and blocked exits, keeps a written log of each round, and knows how to call 911 and notify the FDNY. The log matters: it is the record that the watch was kept.
How to book one without a scramble
Call as soon as you know a system is down or an event needs fire safety staff. Tell us which system is affected, the floors or area, and how long the outage is expected to last. We confirm certified guards, send their certificate details, and cover the post around the clock until the system is restored.
This article is general information, not legal or fire code advice. Requirements change, so confirm the details for your site with the agency named or with us before you rely on them.